FIFA President Gianni Infantino backs ending Russia ban in international football

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has voiced his support for Russia’s return to international football, calling for an end to the country’s four-year exclusion from global competitions.

Russia was suspended from FIFA and UEFA tournaments in February 2022 following the start of its invasion of Ukraine.

The ban ruled the country out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and excluded it from the qualification process for the 2026 tournament, which will be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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Speaking to Sky Sports in London during the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup over the weekend, Infantino argued that the suspension has failed to achieve its intended purpose. He said his immediate priority would be the reinstatement of Russian youth teams.

“We have to consider bringing Russia back, absolutely, because this ban has not delivered any positive results,” Infantino said.

“Instead, it has only fuelled frustration and resentment. Allowing Russian girls and boys to play football across Europe could help ease tensions.”

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Responsibility for Russia’s potential return now rests with UEFA’s executive committee, which is scheduled to meet on February 11 in Brussels. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has consistently stated that an end to the war in Ukraine would be a prerequisite for lifting the ban.

In 2023, UEFA briefly proposed allowing Russian teams to compete in Under-17 European Championship qualifiers, arguing that children should not be punished for the actions of political leaders.

However, the governing body reversed the decision after more than a dozen national associations threatened to boycott matches involving Russia.

At the senior level, Russia has been restricted to playing international friendlies only, most recently facing Chile and Peru in November.

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Russia last competed in a major tournament as hosts of the 2018 World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals during Infantino’s first term as FIFA president.

Infantino reiterated his long-standing opposition to sporting bans, stating that FIFA should formally commit to the principle that countries should not be excluded from football competitions due to the actions of their governments.